That's Life, So It Is cover art

That's Life, So It Is

A Candid, Raw Memoir of TV National Treasure

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That's Life, So It Is

By: Charlie Lawson
Narrated by: Charlie Lawson
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Summary

Coronation Street legend Charlie Lawson celebrates over forty years on stage and screen with a uniquely entertaining, eye-opening and enthralling memoir.

The iconic actor best known for his role as Jim McDonald in Coronation Street, Lawson unveils a life as dramatic off-screen as his on-screen roles. In his own words, he recounts his shenanigans at boarding school, his experience of the Troubles in his native Northern Ireland, his time at drama school and his first acting roles–as well many boisterous nights out and a short-lived attempt to run an illicit club night in 1980s East London.

As Lawson’s career unfolds, we encounter many fellow actors who are now household names, resulting in many hilarious anecdotes. But he is not afraid to settle scores and call out cases of injustice and abuse in the industry. And he is equally unflinching in his portrayal of his private life, with details of his marriages and personal tragedies.

Fans of Coronation Street will love the details of his nearly three-decade tenure on Britain’s beloved soap–as Lawson shares behind-the-scenes pranks, cast disputes and the chaos of celebrity culture. But the book also provides compelling accounts of the many high-profile theatre, TV and film productions he has been involved in–not to mention his other passions such as horse racing and field sports.

©2024 Charlie Lawson (P)2025 W. F. Howes Ltd
Entertainment & Celebrities Memoir Celebrity Funny Witty Sports Career
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It was very entertaining although sometimes sad it gives an insight into the life of an actor

Honesty

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I particularly liked Charlie narrating his life story. The honesty in his words, the sad parts really were sad, but how he overcame them & rebuilt other relationships. I had no idea of how many acting parts he has had, so was interesting reading about them.
A good read I can recommend

The honesty of the book

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Wow what a wonderful read, I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of honesty and integrity. Highly entertaining and unputdownable. At the heart of this biography is a lovely man….

The Authors Honesty

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I am guilty of knowing Charlie Lawson only from his portrayal of Jim McDonald in Coronation Street. I had later seen appearances in other TV dramas too but I had no idea just how accomplished an actor he is.
"That's Life, So It Is" will take you on a journey from the very beginning, in great captivating detail, all the way through Charlie's childhood, adolecence, personal life and extensive professional career. It is often funny and exciting but equally filled with raw sadness.

Some of the stories and escapades are just plain funny, others are a fascinating insight into the hard graft of being a jobbing actor and becoming famous, while other stories and encounters are told with a deep sadness and are painful to hear.

A lot of biographies brush over the whole truth, but Charlie tells everything in complete honesty, 'warts n all' often to his own detriment.

A fascinating life and career, but also a very genuine and likeable bloke. If I'm ever in the same pub, I'll put a pint behind the bar for you.


Open, Honest & Raw, So It Was

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Charlie has led an interesting life. I have to admit when I saw it was over 15 hours, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into but the time flew by. Loved it.

Honest, sometimes grumpy, but very entertaining, so it is

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